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in it, through which a pin, e, on red J, passes,

`"W. L. ROGERS, OF NORTH CORNWALL, AND W. E. CRANE, OF NEW BRITAIN,CONNECTICUT. `Letters Patent No. 73,2O, dated January 7, 1868.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-SWITGH.

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TO ALL WHOM 1T MAY CONCERN:

y Beit known that we, W. L. ROGERS, of North Cornwall, in the county ofLitch'deld, and State of Conneeticut,and W. E. CRANE, of New Britain, inthe countyoof Hartford, and State of Connectict,'have invented a new andimprovedv Railroad-Switch; and we do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enableothers skilledin the art to make and use th to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this speccation:

This invention relates to a `new and improved railroad-switch, of thatclass which are commonly termed self-acting, and which are operated bythe cars.

peculiar mechanism employed to serve as a stop to prevent the casualmoveyThe invention consists in a ment ofthe switch, and in a mechanismemployed for moving the switch, as hereinafter fully shown anddescribed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings--v Figure 1 is a plan or top viewof my invention.

Figure 2, a side view of a portion of the same.

Figure V3, a section of the same, taken in the line :l: iig. 1.

Figures 4 and 5, sections of a portion of the same, taken in thev line yy, g. 1.

Figure 6, a detached view of a part pertaining to the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A represent the rails of the main track of a railroad, and B B therails of' a branch track, and C the switch, constructed as usual, toform a communication with the main or branch track. These parts, beingconstructed and arranged in the ordinary manner, do not require aspecial description. The switch C is moved or operated, so as to bethrown in line with either the main rails A or branch rails B, by meansof right-angular levers, D D', connected at one end by rods E E' to theswitch, aud connected at the opposite endsby rods F F' to cranks G- G',at the outer ends of the shafts H', the inner ends oi' which havepinicns, a, on them, thc

e same, reference being had A latter gearing into vertical rack-bars II', which are iitted in the sides of the rails A B ot' the main andbranch tracks, (see'igs. 1 and 2.) These rack-bars aredepressed by thecar wheels passing over them, and when the switch is in line with therails B of the branch track, and the cars are moving on the main railsA, in the direction'indicated b'y arrow 1, the rack-bar I is depressedby the car-wheels, and the switch moved inline with the rails Aw, butwhen th-switch is in line with `the main rails A, and the cars aremoving on the branch rails B, in the direction indicated by arrow 2, therack-bar I' is depressed by the car-wheels. and the switch moved in linewith the branch rails B. l

i Besides this switch-operating mechanism, it wil hold the switch andprevent it from casually moving. side of the switch C there is attached,by a pivot, a,

l be seen that a stop-mechanism is necessary in order to Thisstop-mechanism is constructed as follows: To one a rod, J, on which atube, K, is placed, having a` slot, @made the slot b being sucientlylong to admit-ef. the tube K being turned a. certain distance on rod J.L is a fixed rod, which is fitted in the tube K, said rod L haying apin, d, projecting from it, which passes through a longitudinal slot, e,in the tube K. .This slot e has three small slots, extending from it atright angles, all o-f which are shown clearly in iig. 1. To the exteriorofthe tube K there is attached a` plate, y, which has its outer edgenotched in V-form,and there is also attached to the exterior of the tubea. projecting plate, h, having a spring, z', bearing against it, thespring being attached to the tube, and bearing upon rods M M', which areof hook-form at one end, as shown at j, to extend up underneath the tubeK, as shown clearly iniig. 3. The other ends of these rods are connectedto cranks 7c at the outer ends of shafts ll', which have pinions, m m,at their inner ends, to gear into raeh-bars NN', which are tted in therails A. Bi

I The switch is prevented from moving casually in consequence ofthe hook7' of one rod fitting in the notched plate g of the tube K, and the piud of rod L tting in a slot, f, which communicates with slot e, and inorder to release theswitch, in order that it may be moved, the wheelset' the `cariirst come in contact with the raciti bar N or N', which isconnected with the rod M or M', which has its hoolsin the notch of theplate g. This rod M or M' is shoved forward, and comes in contact withthe spring z', and in moving turns the tube K, so that the pin d will bebrought into slot e, (see fig.

6,) and the tube K is then allowed to slide on rod L,Vand with the rodJ, and consequently the switch is allowed to move under the mechanismpreviously described. After each movement of the switch, the`tube K isadjusted or turned buck by an 'attendant in order that it may be held inposition until a. succeeding train passes.

Having thus described our nventiom'ivliu't 'we claim us new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The bent or right-angular lovers D D', rods E E' F F', crunks G G',pnions a and rack-bars I I', all arranged and applied to :t switch tooperate in the manner substantially as and for tbe purpose set forth.

2. The rods J L and tube K, notched as shown, and provided with tbespring z' and plates g h, in combina.- tion with the rods M M', shaftsZ'Z', pinious m, und rnck-bars'N N', all arranged substantially in themanner as and for the purpose specified.

W. L. ROGERS, W. E. CRANE.

Witnesses:

SILAs C. BEERS, FREDERIC L. PLATT.

